Zechs stood in front of his friend's grave, a heavy bouquet of red roses in his right hand.

The wind blew across the trees. The sky was a serene shade of blue. The birds were singing. And Zechs had a violent urge to kill something.

It wasn't fair that the world went on when someone like Treize had just died. Someone so brilliant and strong that the Fates themselves took notice and watched.

Perhaps mortals should not attract the attention of the Sisters.

It wasn't true that lightning didn't strike twice, Zechs thought. He should know. It had happened all too often in his life. First the Sanq kingdom, then his parents and his sister, and later his career in the military.

Now... now it was his friend.

"You should have stayed away from me, Treize."

The wind blew his blond hair into his face and he pushed the strands away with one hand as he gazed blindly at the tombstone.

"You thought they called me the Lightning Count at the academy because I was good at controlling a mecha and evading my enemies. It wasn't my enemies I evaded, Treize. It was Death."

What was the use of talking? Treize wasn't even buried here. If his spirit would haunt a place, it would be the endless realm of outer space. A fitting throne for so noble a spirit.

He placed the roses on the grave and put his sunglasses on. It was fitting. His world would never be bright again.